Install windows and doors yourself

Hello dear home building community,

My name is Felix and I have a question regarding the installation of windows and doors in a private home. I have decided to renovate my parents' house step by step and am currently considering replacing the windows and doors myself. Since there are many different materials, I have already done some research and decided on wood or wood/aluminum windows and doors.

Now I am facing the problem that I cannot find quality information regarding ordering, installation, prices, etc. of windows/doors. Therefore, I have noted down a few questions that interest me and hope that someone from the community can help me.

[*
Is it common to carry out such installation and ordering yourself, or should I rather seek professional help?
[*]Otherwise, does anyone have experience ordering windows directly from the manufacturer or online?
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[*]If yes, what were those experiences like?
[*]What should be considered?


[*]How difficult is it to properly install windows/doors yourself?


[*]Does it perhaps make more sense to hire a company for this?

I am not inexperienced when it comes to craftwork, but I would just like to hear if anyone has tried this before. I would be very happy to receive some answers.

Regards,

Felix

Since there are so many different materials, I have already done some research and decided on wood or wood/aluminum windows + doors.

You only registered here afterwards, and meanwhile you haven’t read my treatises on wood-aluminum windows yet. Here is just the most essential part: if they are high quality, they are more expensive than aluminum without wood behind it.

1. Is it common to do such installation and ordering yourself, or should I rather seek professional help? 3. How difficult is it to properly install windows/doors yourself? Does it perhaps make more sense to hire a company for that?

Well, whether it is nobler in spirit is almost a philosophical question. It is difficult enough to write expert instructions on proper installation – at the same time, the "professional helpers" like to send pistoleros armed with cordless screwdrivers and foam spray who just call in sick at the kebab grill when it comes to installing windows. Find yourself a good installer (which can take time because they are "scarce goods") and also let them have the trade margin.

You only registered here afterwards, and in the meantime you haven't read my treatises on wood-aluminum windows yet. Here is just the most essential part: if they are high-quality, they are more expensive than aluminum without wood behind it.

Dear 11ant, thank you very much for your reply. I have not read your treatise on wood-aluminum windows yet, you are absolutely right. As I said, I have not decided yet, but I have narrowed it down to these two variants. Where can I find your treatise on this topic?

Well, whether it is nobler at heart is an almost philosophical question. It is difficult enough to write expert instructions on proper installation – at the same time, the "professional helpers" like to send pistoleros armed with cordless screwdrivers and foam spray guns, who call in sick at the kebab stand when there are windows to be installed. Find yourself a good installer (which can take time because they are "bent goods"), and also let them have the trade margin.

So, you would advise me against installing the windows myself?
I mean, is it really that uncommon to install windows on your own?

I have a friend in France who told me that it is quite common there to install windows yourself. But as I said, I am just trying to gather some information and get an idea. Since I am anything but a professional myself, I take your opinion to heart and will think it over carefully.

I am also doing the windows in "own work" for my new build. Fortunately, I have a father-in-law who has installed windows for over 30 years and is taking the lead (I am just helping). Without him, I would never think of doing it. Mind you, in new construction it is, in my opinion, a bit riskier due to interface issues than in existing buildings. I believe the energy requirements are not as high in existing buildings.

Especially in existing buildings, installation is more complicated – "surgically precisely desoldering" the old elements is a task that can leave hair-raisingly picturesque battlefields behind. But maybe we should first talk about energy-efficient renovation, which might possibly need to be considered when choosing the new installation plane. Or best of all, about the entire building.

Dear 11ant, thank you very much for your reply. I have not yet read your treatise on wood-aluminum windows, you are absolutely right about that. As I said, I have not decided yet, but I have shortlisted these two variants. Where can I find your treatise on this topic?

The treatises are scattered across various posts here, which is why I specifically extracted the core point. But if you now speak of "both" variants, we might have misunderstood each other: did you mean wood or aluminum? – in any case, you should tell us how your material-related selection process came about.

I mean, is it really not common at all to install windows yourself?

"Common" unfortunately means that dealers recommend installers to customers who, to put it kindly, only have the qualifications of seasonal harvest helpers and ruin the house and/or windows so unbelievably that the profession of building expert is a goldmine.